This is an aerial view of Amman, looking down on the acropolis (foreground) and the ancient heart of the Roman city, including the theater. The acropolis is notable because it is almost untouched, whereas today it has roads, a museum, and many excavated areas. The area around the theater is now the center of a dense urban city.

In biblical times, the city was known as Rabbah or Rabbath-ammon. In the Roman period, the city was called Philadelphia and was one of the cities of the Decapolis.

My attempts to get in an airplane over the city have been unsuccessful, but the photo below will give you some idea of how the area has changed.